Dilating massager



Dec. 1, 1959 s. n. WILLIAMS DILATING MASSAGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledNov. 25, 1956 INVENTQR. Steele D. W/H/ams v. wwwv vwm v 0 757/ HISATTORNEYS Dec. 1, 1959 s. D. WILLIAMS DILA'IING MASSAGER 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed NOV. 23, 1956 INVEN TOR.

Steele D. Williams ym hmi r HIS ATTORNEYS circles the urethraland theejaculatory passages.

the prostate is swollen it tends to constrict and retard flow a UnitedStates Patent DILATING MASSAGER I Steele D. Williams, Weston, W. Va. IApplication November 23, 1956, Serial No. 623,969

3 Claims. (Cl. 12864) This invention relates to a device that may beused to Patented Dec. 1, 1959 tion, to control the pressure-sensitivityat the selected predetermined regions of the jacket wall.

treat various parts of the body that may be reached through the openingsinto the body. Similarly the device may be utilized for treatment of thepassages themselves.

The invention is particularly adaptable as a device for treating'theprostate gland byimpres sing a controllable pressure force on the glandthrough the opposite portion of'the rectum wall.

The prostate, located directly beneath the bladder, en-

When

through those passages, with consequent pain and discomfort. In suchswollen condition, it also presses upon the opposite portion of the wallof the rectum, and tends to constrict the passage therethrough, withconsequent retardation of movement therethrough.

The three forms of the treating device of the general character referredto, are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a schematic view of a portion of the male anatomy, toillustrate the general relative disposition and The general treatmentunder those conditionsconsists in applying gentle manual massage to theprostate by pressure of a finger applied through the wall of the rectalchamber.

An o bject of this invention is to provide a device equipped with anelement, of the general size. and shape of a finger, which may beinserted into the rectum and then dilated, either generally anduniformly, or selectively at desired points lengthwise thereof. and in adesired direction only, so as to put pressure on the, wall of the vanothe modified 'fo m f apparatus, mb d i i rectum at a point suchthat'the pressure is transmitted to and against the prostate.

The same principle generally may be employed in a similar device but ofdifierent dimensions, and shape for accommodation in the nostrils forgentl e expansion and contraction of the nostrils for relief "fromsinuspains. Similarly the device in a variation 'of-torm and dimensionsmay employed as a rectal expander.

1 In one preferred form for treating theprostate,the'delipiPeisiprovidfid With-an insftifin member consisting of sj-a theejaculatory duct 12, and both the urethra 11 and the a hollow, stifftubular supporting element covered with a rubber-like dilatable jacket,and areservoir bulb attached. to the outer end of the insertion member.The

entire device is filled either with warm water or air so that prss'ureonthe bulb forces water or air through the hollow tubular supportingelement into the dilatable jacket and causes the jacket: to dilate andenlarge, either fgenerally, or in. a relatively defined regionannular'ly or mainlytoward a selected side, laterally of the axis ofsupportin'geelementf ThusQwhen the jacketed support memberisinserted-into the rectum, pressure on the bulb causes "dilation of thejacket,; thus exerting pressure on the rectum wall in such a way as totransmitthe' pressure :ontothe prostate. Gentle periodic pressureon thebulb provides controllablegentle periodic pressure on the prostate" andcauses it to gradually relieve itself of thexaccumulate'd foreignmatter, with consequent relief of constrictingpressure on the urethraland ejaculatory paslsa ges. I r i i relatively symmetrical and uniform.

)This form with a arrangement of the bladder, the prostate and therectum;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of one form or" the device asassembled;

Figure 3 is ajlongitudinal sectional view of another form of the deviceas assembled;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of a symmetrical sleeve or jacketof dilatable material, such as rubber, or the like, with the thicknessof the wall section somewhat exaggerated; v

Figure 5 is a similar vertical sectional view of such a jacket with aselected portionof the annular wall made of thinner section so as to bemore sensitively responsive to pressure and so as to form an annularlobe;

Figure 5a is a plan view of the entire jacket of Fig. 5;

Figures 6 and 6a are views similar toFigs. 5 and 5a of a sleeve having asection of thinnermaterial along one side thereof,'to form into a radialor laterally extending lobe;

Figures 7 and 7a are similar figures of a jacket or sleevehaving twoadjacent thin wall sections that dilate under pressure to form twospaced laterally projecting lobes; V

Figure 8 is a vertical fragmental, sectional view of vention, in whichthe dilatable sleeve is disposed within a rigid tubular member which isprovided with longitudinally extending windows through which lobesformed in the sleeve may protrude; 1

Figure 8a is a plan view of the modification of Fig. 8, and shows howthe lobesextend through thewindows of the supporting member. j Asshownin Figure 1, thelower end of the bladder 10 empties into the urethra 11,which is, also fed from duct'12 pass through the prostate 13 which islocated in the region adjacent and directly beneath the bladder 10. Aportion of the wall 14 of the rectum 15 is behind and opposite theprostate. A j

I When the prostate becomes enlarged, due to accumulation offoreignmatter, it exerts pressure on the urethra 11 and duct 12 and onthe Wall 14 with consequent constriction of each of those passages, andresulting pain and discomfort. Treatment of prostate 13 to reduce itsenlargement, consists of applying pressure to the prostate by pressingon the part of the wall of the rectum oppo site the prostate, generallyin the region where the enlarged prostate presses against the rectumwall. Such pressure is presently established in the rectum by insertinga finger, dressed in a rubber cot, into the rectum, and gently pressingagainst the wall of the rectum so that pressure is transmitted'to theprostate. a

rectum and through the wall thereof to the prostate, from outside thebody.

The device shown in Figure 2 illustrates the general constructionandprinciple of operation. As shown, it comprises an insertion member 20to be inserted into the rectum, and a pressure bulb 21 that may bepressed, outside of the body to be treated, to force water or air intothe insertion member 20 and to thereby dilate it to press against therectum wall.

The insertion member 20 consists of ahollow longitudinal tubular stem orsupporting member 22, With one or more perforations 23 in its wall, acovering tubular jacket or element 24 of rubber or similar resilientstretchable material, a head anchor cap 25 to close the front end of themember 22 and to anchor the forward end 26 of the rubber jacket 24 inplace thereon, and a stop or limit ring '27 to limit the extent ofpenetration of the insertion member 20 into the rectum. The stop ring 27has a threaded body portion 28 that threads onto a shoulder piece 29that is fixedly secured to the stem 22, at proper position, by anysuitable means, such as cement.

The stop ring 27 is formed with an inner annular washer portion 36 thatserves as a clamping ring to press and anchor the rear end 31 of therubber tube 24 on and against the end annular face 32 of the shoulderpiece 29.

The rear end of the shoulder piece 29 is provided with a flange 33 thatserves as an annular shoulder or reaction surface for a portion of theflexible bulb, to be described. The rear end of the support member 22 isalso provided with a flange 34 which cooperates with the flange 33 ofthe shoulder piece 29 to hold the bulb in position on the stem.

The bulb 21 is formed of rubber, or similar material,

that is shape-retaining but still soft enough to be easily deformed. Asshown, the bulb is provided with hollow extension and flange sections 36and 37 at its opposite ends, and, for simplicity in assembling, bothends are made similar. The front end 36 fits onto the supporting member22 between the two flanges 33 and 34. The rear end portion 37 enclosesand supports a neck piece 38 having a threaded bore 39 for receiving asimilarly threaded cap screw 40 for sealing the bulb closed after it isfilled with water. All of the parts are preferably made of rubber orrubber-like compositions which will be suitable for thepurposes-indicated, and which may be treated in usual methods forsterilizing.

As shown in Figure 2, the rubber jacket or sleeve 24 maybe dilatedsymmetrically about its longitudinal axis substantially to the formindicated by the broken line 24a.

The stop ring 27 limits the extent of insertion of the insertion member20 into the rectum, and the dimensions generally are made that theregion of maximum dilation of the rubber-like sleeve will be adjacentthe wall portion 14 of the rectum opposite the prostate, as shown inFigure 1.

The device is intended to be free of air when filled with water, so itmay be readily operated by hydraulic action when the bulb 21 iscompressed so that the water will move freely from the bulb 21 into andthrough the center member 22, and then through the passages 23 into thejacket or sleeve 24, to expand the same and put pressure on the surfaceengaged thereby. The release of pressure on the bulb permits the waterto return from the jacket back into the bulb.

In the device in Figure 2 the top or front end of the rubber jacket hasa small opening to permit the head screw 25 to pass therethrough forthreading into the threaded front end 42 of the center stem 22 to anchor"the front end of the jacket on the front end of the center stem 22.

Figure 3 shows a modified form 50 in which the center member 51isprovided with two longitudinal wall slots 52 and 53, peripherallyspaced. The slots 52 and 53 may be narrow, merely wide enough to provideadequate fluid movement from the stem into the element or jacket 54 soas to expedite the expansion of the jacket.

The jacket or sleeve is fitted over the member 51 and the lower or rearend rim 70 thereof is stretched and passed over the anchor washer 55, toseat between that washer and the stop disc 56. To provide space for therim of the jacket, a locknut 59 is threaded down while the jacket rim isstretched over the washer 55, and then the locknut is threaded upward topress the disc 56 tightly against the rim of the jacket. The jacket 54may be of a size to prevent excessive stretching of its wall as it issecured to the stem 51. The outer surface of the jacket should belubricated by any suitable material to permit free insertion into therectal passage.

The Washer 55 may be secured to the member or stem 51 by a suitablecement. The stop disc 56 encircles the stem 51 and is free to move. Atube 57 may be cemented to the stem 51 below the stop disc 56, and hasan outer threaded surface 58 to receive the tubular locknut portion 59.The lower end of the tube 57 has an annular shoulder 61 to serve as aseat and retaining surface for the neck 62 of bulb 63. The outer end ofthe bulb is provided with a closure device including a clamping tube 65,a nut 66 and a threaded cap screw 67. The screw 67 may be similar instructure and function to the cap screw 40 of Figure 2. That is to say,the tube 65 may be externally and internally threaded so as to receiveboth the nut 66 and the cap screw 67. It will be understood that thescrew 67 will be removed in the operation of filling the bulb .63 withwater and also in the operation of removing the water from the bulb.

In the modification of Figure 3, the front end of the stem 51 is closedby a piece 68 to provide a smooth rounded tip on the stem 51. A jacket54 with a closed front end like that shown in Figure 4, may be used.

Where it is desired to form pressure lobes at predetermined regions ofthe jacket, corresponding areas of the wall of the jacket may be ofreduced thickness so they will be more sensitive and susceptible to airpressure or hydraulic pressure. Several such jackets are shown inFigures 5, 6 and 7.

As shown in Figure 5, the dilation of a jacket 74 may be selectivelyconfined, along the axial dimension, by forming one lengthwise section75 of less thickness than the two adjoining sections 76 and 77 which maybe thickened so as to resist dilation. With a jacket so formed theintermediate section 75 will expand to form an annular lobe 78.

Similarly, as in Figure 6, a section of the jacket 80 may be so formedthat dilation of the jacket will produce a lobe 81 on one side of thejacket and projecting in one general direction only. The difference instrength will cause the strip of thinner material 82 to readily distendwhen pressure is applied, and the remainder of the jacket may retain itsoriginal shape. The thinner sections may be located at any point alongthe length of the jacket so as to position the dilation lobe at adesired location.

Where a double lobe is desired, as in Figures 7 and 7a, a jacket isprovided with two peripherally spaced parallel longitudinal strips 91and 92 of thin section surrounded by material 93 of greater thicknessand requiring greater pressure for dilation. When distended, the jacket90 of Figure 7, will form two spaced lobes 91a and 92a substantially asshown in Figure 7a.

In another form of the device, partly shown in Figures 8 and 8a, therubber element or jacket is disposed within the tubular member 94, whichis provided with two windows 95 and 96 through which two lobes 97 andv98 of the jacket may protrude when distended by air or hydraulicpressure. The lower rim of the jacket .is anchored in position againstthe lower edge of the stem 94 by a plug 99. Otherwise the device issimilar to that in Figure 3.

What I claim is:

1. A medical applicance of the type described including in its make-up arigid elongated tubular member open at one end and having a plurality ofapertures formed in its cylindrical wall adjacent a closed end andcommunicating with the bore thereof; an open-ended flexible, expansibletubular element extending longitudinally of said member and having anannular edge about its open end; an annular tube secured to said memberadjacent the open end thereof; means threadably engaging said annulartube for clamping the annular edge of said element adjacent said member;and means communicating with the open end of said member for deliveringfluid into said member and said element.

2. A medical appliance of the type described including in its make-up arigid elongated tubular member open at one end and closed at the otherand having two apertures formed in the cylindrical wall thereofextending substantially parallel to each other and longitudinally ofsaid member and located less than 90 apart circumferentially of saidmember; a pliant, expansible tubular element open at one end and closedat the other and located within said member in engagement with the innersurface of the apertured portion of the side wall of said member withthe open end thereof adjacent the open end of said member and securedagainst movement relatively thereto; and means secured to the open endof said member for delivering fluid into said member and said element.

3. A medical appliance of the type described including a rigid elongatedtubular member open at one end and closed at the other and having twosubstantially parallel, elongated apertures formed in the cylindricalwall of said member and extending to a point adjacent the closed endthereof; a pliant expansible tubular element open at one end and closedat the other, located within said member in engagement with the innersurface thereof and bridging each of said apertures and with the openend thereof projecting through the open end of said member, a tubeencircling and secured to said member and extending beyond the open endthereof and a plug projecting into said tube and clamping the open endof said element against the open end of said member, and means securedto said tube for delivering fluid into said element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7901,376 Roberts Oct. 20, 1908 912,205 Talcott Feb. 9, 1909 961,034Siebert June 7, 1910 1,764,838 Home June 17, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS378,093 France July 30, 1907 129,728 Switzerland Jan. 2, 1929

